Good Evening, Tweeters
The following is from the WA Enviromental Council and I have permission to
forward this. It is well worth the time to read it and, perhaps, to
participate in
e-mailing your legislators. Thank You.
Pat BearlyBear at aol.com

>From Becky Kelley, Washington Environmental Council
<beckkelley at aol.com>

[April 7]

Bad Timber Bill (SHB 2091) Gaining Momentum in House
Please Contact Your Representatives and Governor Locke

Despite ongoing opposition from the the environmental
community, the League of Women Voters, several tribes, and a
recent letter from 28 scientists, the timber deal is gaining
momentum in the House. This momentum is largely the result
of an all-out lobbying campaign by the timber industry, in
conjunction with the Governor's office, to pressure House
members to pass the bill.

If, as Governor Locke has said, "Extinction is not an option,"
this high-risk deal should be stopped, not supported. Last week
28 leading scientists wrote to Governor Locke, calling for an
independent review of the timber deal. The scientists said the
deal is not scientifically credible in its present form.

SHB 2091 would give the Legislature's stamp of approval to
this high-risk deal, which is expected to take the form of a 50-
year agreement covering 10 million acres of state and private
forest land in Washington. With your help, we managed to
slow the bill, and a stripped down version was passed out of
committee. However, about 90% of the bill's bad provisions
are expected to be reinstated, and the House will likely vote on
the bill within the next week.

The bill continues to undermine the Forest Practices Board's
rule-making authority, gives the timber industry a 20% tax cut,
and locks in the risky deal for an expected 50 years.

This legislation must be stopped if we hope to recover wild
salmon and clean water. Please call or write your
Represenatives and Governor Locke no later than Monday,
April 12. For more information, call Becky Kelley, 206-622-
8103 or email beckkelley at aol.com. For more detailed
information on the bill, see the end of this alert.

Message-
Oppose SHB 2091. A "no" vote on 2091 is a vote for salmon
and for good government. Let the Forest Practices Board
review and consider all proposals. Don't let the timber industry
continue to harm salmon and get a tax cut too.

Contact info for Representatives/Governor Locke-
If calling: use 1-800-562-6000.

If emailing, use up to the first 8 letters of your legislator's last
name, followed by a _ and then the first 2 letters of the first
name at leg.wa.gov.
The Governor's email is: governor.locke at governor.wa.gov

If you do not know your legislators' names go to:
http://dfind.leg.wa.gov (there is no "www.")

Example for email:
Representative John Pennington: penningt_jo at leg.wa.gov

More detailed information
The bill:
-Undermines the authority of the Forest Practices Board. The
environmental community and three tribes have submitted
proposals to the Forest Practices Board, and environmental and
economic review of all proposals is just beginning. But the bill
binds the Board's decision-making process, requiring the Board
to go back to the legislature if they wish to deviate from the
timber deal. It may even slow the enactment of new rules,
since the Board would have to wait for the Legislative session
if it wishes to makes any changes to the timber deal (60 days of
session must pass before they can act).

-Gives the timber industry a 20% tax cut, and other forms of
compensation, while still allowing them to harm endangered
salmon.

-States that the timber deal will lead to fully-functioning
salmon habitat. It also says that the timber deal provides as
much protection as the timber industry can afford. Such
findings are unwarranted, given that there has been no
independent scientific or economic review of the timber deal or
other proposals.

-States that the legislature expects the federal government to
give the timber industry various regulatory "assurances" under
the ESA and Clean Water Acts, including a long-term permit
allowing them to harm endangered salmon (an HCP). If the
feds don't, the legislature can revisit its support and funding of
the improved logging rules.

-Relies on an adaptive managment system that puts the timber
industry largely in control of any changes to future logging
rules.